Writer In Residence

The Haig-Brown Writer in Residence for the 2011/2012 season is author Trevor Herriot from Regina, Saskatchwan.  As a naturalist and environmentalist, Herriot will be offering unique opportunities to the public while at the house, which includes fieldtrips, bird walks and presentations on Canada's grassland birds.  He will also be on hand to mentor up and coming authors, will take part in Campbell River's Words on the Water, and will offer writing workshops.

Herriot is an award-winning author.  His first book, River in a Dry Land, won the Drainie-Taylor Biography Prize, the Saskatchewan Book of the Year Award, the Regina Book Award, a CBA Libris Award and was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award. Jacob’s Wound was shortlisted for the Writers’ Trust Non-Fiction Prize. Herriot is an active member in the Nature Conservancy of Canada, is featured regularly on CBC Radio and is a frequent guest on the call-in show Blue Sky.

During his stay in Campbell River, he will be working on both a fictional story set in the northern Great Plains, and a non-fiction book featuring the Eastern Qu'Appelle Valley, which will discuss early non-Aboriginal land use.

An open house will be held at the Haig-Brown House in mid December, with an opportunity to meet the author and welcome him to Campbell River.

Writer in Residence Applications

Published writers are being invited to apply for the 2012-2013 Haig-Brown House Writer in Residence position.  The residency entails spending the winter months (or a portion thereof) living in the Haig-Brown Heritage House, which is under the management of the Museum at Campbell River.  

The very modest four bedroom house reflects the character of writer Roderick Haig-Brown and his wife Ann.  Located in a peaceful setting on the banks of the Campbell River on Vancouver Island, it contains a Heritage library and is surrounded by two acres of garden and 17 acres of public parkland. 

The writer’s time will be divided between pursuing personal writing projects and providing literary advice and support to the local community, with writing time favoured on a 60/40 basis (as per Canada Council’s Author Residencies Program guidelines).  The writer would also participate in Museum winter programming.

A stipend of up to $2000 per month, depending on available funding, will be provided.

Please include a resume (maximum two pages), a list of publications, a one-page proposal of anticipated community activities, and a sample of work in progress (20 pages); with reasons why the residency would further your work.  Forward your application package to Sandra Parrish, Museum at Campbell River, Box 70 Stn A, Campbell River, BC V9W 4Z9. Deadline is January 31, 2012.